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ORIGIN

This 1989 Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro was sold new in Germany and was imported to the United States by the seller in August 2017. Previously finished in Dove Blue Metallic, the van was repainted in Porsche Sport Classic Grey and received a Coast Mountain fiberglass hightop conversion and lifted suspension at the same time. The original Wasserboxer flat-four was replaced with a 1.9L AAZ turbodiesel inline-four from a VW Jetta and sends power through a manual transaxle with a locking rear differential. Additional updates include a custom interior, new upholstery, suspension, and new German door and window seals. The seller states that approximately $20k of records from the restoration process are included, and this T3 Van is offered in Southern California with a clean South Dakota title in the seller’s name.

A windows-out repaint in Porsche Sport Classic Grey was carried out shortly after the van was imported, with photos provided in the gallery below. Rhino Liner coating was applied to the wheel wells and below the rocker panels around the body. The seller sourced a Coast Mountain hightop, which weighed a reported 100 pounds prior to the installation of insulation and a venting fan. The top was mounted using high-grade 3m panel-adhesive and then siliconed to the body.

New window seals, door seals, window tint, and European-specification H4 headlights were installed along with a new front windshield. Shwenk 2″ lift springs are installed with Old Man Emu shocks and WolfRace alloy wheels with oversized All-Terrain tires. A front skid plate has been installed in place of the factory spare wheel mount.

All of the factory seating received new foam and was reupholstered in grey twill cloth and corina leather. The BEHR in-dash A/C is currently non-functional. All of the factory gauges have been rewired to work with the diesel conversion. The six-digit mechanical odometer currently shows 361k kilometers (~224k miles).

New carpeting was installed in the front of the cab, and the rear floor is covered with wood flooring. Updated grey formica has been installed on on the factory cabinetry and bed sides, with a custom wood storage compartment added between the kitchenette and the rear bench.

The hightop roof was insulated and had a 12″ Fantastic fan, LED lighting, new wiring, and a new carpeted headliner installed. The kitchen setup uses a 5-gallon water tank and green Coleman gas canisters. The stove and fridge are functional, but the seller states that they are not currently connected.

Power comes from a 1.9L AAZ turbodiesel inline-four that received new glow plugs, motor and transmission oil, hoses, electrical wiring, and a rebuilt fuel pump. The four-speed manual transaxle features a new clutch, an additional Gelande low-speed gear, and a locking differential.

The power steering system was updated during the rest of the updates, and a new brake booster was installed at the same time. The seller notes that the torque tube protection bars were removed during the restoration and new bars from Burley Motorsports will be provided to the new owner.

Photos of the van before and during the restoration process have been provided in the gallery. Walk-around, interior view, cold start, and driving videos can be seen below.